Civilization certified as a professional game?

[BorderPatrol]

Originally posted by Sabre2th
Also -- I think a multiplayer setup like battlenet would be a vast improvement over previous civ options.

That's all I am saying. I doubt it will take much time or effort to provide this and we NEED an improvement over the past ways of multiplayer.

Civ2 MGE has reeked horribly because in that format it was to easy for players to cheat. And with Alpha Centauri a feeble attempt was made to have a multiplayer site but it never worked and after a few times visiting there people just gave up. I have no idea if they ever got it fixed, but they ended up just taking it down.

I don't know what enjoyment people get out of playing the AI over and over. Everyone knows if you want real competition you need to find a human opponent. AI is for pansies.

[tniem]

I am not sure if a Battle.net server works to well for a single player game. There just isn't going to be the big of demand and if your going to play single player multiplayer you are going to be able to set up your own server through ISPs in my opinion.

On the other hand what is really needed is an improvement in play be email games. Obviously some work on diplomacy is needed for PBEM. The other thing needed is for the game to automatically download your next turn from a central server. As soon as your turn is over it would upload to this central server for the next player's turn. You could also go to the server to find new opponents. That is what Firaxis should do primarily for MP support.

[BorderPatrol]

tniem I am not talking about using a server for single player games, which seems to be what you are saying here. I am talking about Firaxis getting someone to host a server that will allow players to connect with other players for league play. The server would be optimal in order to prevent cheating.

I am still for being able to connect by ip as well though.

As far as PBEM, I am pretty sure it won't work with Civilization III because of the high level of diplomacy needed to trade for goods that you need.

[tniem]

Originally posted by BorderPatrol
tniem I am not talking about using a server for single player games, which seems to be what you are saying here. I am talking about Firaxis getting someone to host a server that will allow players to connect with other players for league play. The server would be optimal in order to prevent cheating.

I apologize. I reread my thread and realized that I did not make myself very clear.

What I tried to say is that Civ is primarily a single player game because of the length of time it takes to play. Because of the game's very nature, multiplayer in groups on servers does not work the greatest. It takes a long time to wait for everyone to finish their turn before playing and it just doesn't have that great of demand. Therefor, I do not believe a full fledged battle.net type server will work the greatest. If they want to do it, I am all for it and will definitely play there. I just don't think demand will be that great.

As far as PBEM, I am pretty sure it won't work with Civilization III because of the high level of diplomacy needed to trade for goods that you need.

I both disagree with you and hope you are flat out wrong. PBEM is the best way to play this type of TBS game. Through PBEM games, you can take as long as you need strategizing each turn and figuring out all of the elements that you need to improve on. It also allows you to have multiple games going at once. (in the past I have played as many as 6 or 7 games at the same time against common opponents). Obviously, PBEM diplomacy is tricky and is the hardest part of implementing it in Civ III.

In the past the computer would negotiate your treaties and trade agreements while your opponent was playing. This is something that should not happen. Instead you should propose some deal to one of your human opponents, at the beginning of his/her turn s/he will look over all trade or diplomatic acts that have been proposed to him/her since the last turn. At that point the player would get the chance to reject, modify, or accept all deals. Of course to set up deals, you could at any time email your opponent or even call him/her to discuss a deal.

PBEM is in my opinion the best way to play TBS games in MP. I know I will be playing even more PBEM games once in college because I simply will not have time for a ten hour MP game. With a couple diplomacy adjustments it should work pretty well and be extremely fun to play.